They are a welcomed site at a busy corner and great you with a smile.
Crossing guards across Orillia were honoured Wednesday with the city proclaiming Feb. 17 crossing guard appreciation day.
Since January 2015, the Orillia Police Services Board has administered the School Crossing Guard Program. The Board employs 19 dedicated crossing guards, who are stationed at 13 crosswalk locations throughout the community.
“The focus of School Crossing Guard Appreciation Day is to praise the fantastic work that crossing guards perform each day, but it is also an opportunity to remind pedestrians how to cross the roadway safely,” said Kristine Preston, Executive Assistant to the Orillia Police Services Board and Supervisor for the Crossing Guards.
Josy Bachman has been helping children safely cross the road for 16 years.
“Their parents appreciate it very much that they know that I’m up here when the kids go across and they’re not with them and the kids feel good about it because they feel safe that way,” said Bachman, who is also Orillia’s longest serving crossing guard.
“School crossing guards provide an invaluable service to our community,” said Councillor Pat Hehn, Chair of the Orillia Police Services Board. “We are very fortunate and immensely proud to have a devoted group of crossing guards who share a deep sense of responsibility, brave inclement weather, and work under various traffic conditions to safely escort pedestrians across the roadway.”
This is the first year for the appreciation day, but the city and police services board plan to make it an annual event.
